2018 BMW 5 Series
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Airbags & Restraints
Airbags & Restraints leads by volume: 48 of 85 complaints (56%) mention it.
Complaints filed rose from 38 in 2017 to 85 in 2018.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | vs. 2018 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,850–4,100 | 2,850–4,300 | 2,650–3,350 | 2,650–3,250 | 2,750–3,100 | |
| Combined MPG | 19–30 | 18–27 | 23–30 | 24–29 | 25–28 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 16–26 / 24–38 | 15–24 / 24–34 | 20–27 / 29–36 | 21–27 / 29–34 | 22–25 / 29–33 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 335–463 | 326–486 | 324–380 | 324–371 | 316–359 | |
| Complaints filed | 83 | 38 | 85 | 38 | 15 | |
| Recalls issued | 7 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 3 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2018 BMW 5 Series have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2018 BMW 5 Series?
Airbags & Restraints: 48 of 85 NHTSA complaints (56%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2018 BMW 5 Series get?
EPA rates it 23–30 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2018 BMW 5 Series?
EPA estimates $2,650–$3,350 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (7)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium and Electricity | Compact Cars | 27 mpg (high) | 31 mpg | 29 mpg | $2,650 (low) | 193 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium and Electricity | Compact Cars | 27 mpg (high) | 31 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,750 | 200 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 24 mpg | 34 mpg | 27 mpg | $2,850 | 324 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 23 mpg | 33 mpg | 27 mpg | $2,850 | 333 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 21 mpg | 30 mpg | 24 mpg | $3,250 | 367 g/mi |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 20 mpg (low) | 29 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | $3,350 (high) | 380 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 7 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Diesel | Midsize Cars | 26 mpg | 36 mpg (high) | 30 mpg (high) | $3,000 | 341 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 48 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (6)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) · Campaign 24V588000 · Aug 9, 2024
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 540d xDrive vehicles that were previously repaired under recall number 22V-614. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Consequence: An EGR valve with smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold increases the risk of an engine fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the EGR module and the intake manifold as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) · Campaign 22V614000 · Aug 10, 2022
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d xDrive vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Consequence: A melting intake manifold increases the risk of fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the EGR module, and the intake manifold will be inspected and replaced, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
AIR BAGS; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · Campaign 20V243000 · Apr 30, 2020
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2017 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i and 540i xDrive and 2017-2018 530e xDrive vehicles. Prior exposure to excessive levels of humidity within the driver and passenger head air bag inflators may affect the proper deployment of the head air bags.
Consequence: In the event of a crash of sufficient severity, deployment of the head air bag may be impaired and/or the igniter could separate from the inflator, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left or right head air bag, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · Campaign 19V684000 · Sep 30, 2019
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL · Campaign 18V652000 · Sep 26, 2018
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.
Consequence: An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · Campaign 18V465000 · Jul 17, 2018
Defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.
Consequence: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.